How Do You See Me Now?
by mayajane
Summary: One day in Arithmancy Draco just really can't see past Granger's head. This changes things. Rated M for swearing.


Just a short one shot, so their wont be anymore chapters. I hope you like it!

How do you see me now?

'Stupid Granger, always in the way.' Draco could never see past her head in Arithmancy these days. He had to get away from some jerk wouldn't leave him alone. Always asking to go to practice together or sit together in the common room. It was making him sick. So he moved and the only two seats left were behind Granger or beside her. She apparently had the biggest head he'd ever encountered. It, of course, occurred to him to ask her to move over just two inches, but he couldn't get the words out.

She tilted her head and bent down so he saw the board for a spilt second before she blocked the view again. He'd had it.

"Granger!" He hissed quietly. She turned, shocked, but wondering what he could possibly want. Somehow he controlled his frustration and simply said, " I cant see."

"Oh. Sorry." She moved over, barely and he still couldn't see. He wanted to strangle her. There was an assignment on the board and he wasn't going to look like an idiot, leaning all around to see. So he gathered up his stuff and huffed as he sat down beside her. The look of pure shock made him smile with victory. It was always good to knock Granger of her game. It would be nice if he could be the top in the class for one week. Or even a day.

"What are you doing, Malfoy?" She whispered, her hand squashing her quill. He grinned, enjoying her anger.

"I can't see past your fucking big head. Now I can." He answered, his smile growing and by now he probably looked crazy.

"Jeez, whatever." She said, not offended at all by what he said or how he said it. She put her head down and copied the board and after a few seconds of staring at her he did the same.

The next day he took his seat beside her without a word and she crossed her arms.

"Why do you even care about this class? It's not even required."

Draco looked at her for a moment, "Why do _you_ take it?"

"To further my opportunities after I graduate. I want to be somebody." It was completely true judging her expression. A good question is why was she being honest with him at all?

"You already are somebody, the brains of the Golden Trio?" He reminded her seriously. Didn't she know who she was to the world? They were famous! Defeating the biggest villain of their time?

Her face showed how taken aback she was by his words. Maybe he shouldn't been so honest, this was Granger and they had always hated each other.

"I guess I never thought about it that way. I want to do something important, you know a career. I was actually hoping to become a teacher."

"Me too. Arithmancy is my favorite class but there are few job opportunities in the field."

She smiled at him, at him! "I heard there's going to be a new program in the ministry dedicated to Arithmancy soon. Maybe next year."

"Really? That would be amazing!" And he smiled back at her and he realized then he no longer held any hate for her…or her blood.

She nodded excitedly and they talked the remainder of class.

The next day Draco woke up and the first thing he thought of was Granger. About their conversation from Arithmancy to their futures. She was even brighter than he had realized. He also couldn't believe he was having feelings like _this_ about _her_. Whatever kind of feelings they were. He rolled over in his bed and saw his roommates had already left. Today was Saturday so he was tempted to roll back over and sleep the day away.

But he remembered the homework he had and got dressed in regular clothes. He couldn't bear to call them muggle clothes, but that's what they were. Slinging his bag over his shoulder he left his dorm to go to the library. He always ended up there and his friend Blaise always made fun of him for it. Jokingly, or maybe seriously, no way to tell. He would rather have the grades than get a headache in Hogs head.

He saw her there, sitting near the back and reading intently. He was kind of thrown for a moment and then settled on a seat diagonal to her. Draco pulled out his work and was pretty into it when a chair scraped against the floor and text books fell on the table.

"Okay, so I need help." Not only was she sitting there, speaking to _him_ , but asking him for _help_.

He raised an eyebrow, "Really. Help from me?"

She smiled, "Yes, no one else _could_ help me, you know that." And he did know that. Only he was on the same level as granger.

"Okay, with what?" He could hardly believe they were getting on so well and it occurred to him that he'd been the problem all along. Thinking about blood purity too hard. Nothing good comes of that he decided a while back.

"Those names from yesterday. I must be dumb or something because I can't figure out this character number."  
It was all a little suspicious but he helped her anyway, at loss for what else to do. She was a quick learner, something that wasn't to be overlooked. It went a long way, that skill.

"Thank you. It was really bothering me.I should have realized that the Y would count as a vowel in that case." She said after packing up her things. Hours had gone by and suddenly Draco found that he had enjoyed a Saturday with Hermione Granger.

"Your welcome." He answered on reflex but he meant it. She smiled at him and he found her smile so appealing for some reason. It was clear then that he was staring but she didn't seem to mind. He wanted to figure this out and that was something he was good at. Figuring things out.

"Well…I'll be here tomorrow checking over some things and we have the extra credit option as well, though it is only due right before break. Maybe we could work on that?"

He couldn't believe his ears but it sounded like she was asking to see him. Now he was really worried.

"Well….Granger I'm just so confused. Why are you so….accepting of me when you've always hated me?"

She tilted her head and his eyes followed her every move.

"I don't know exactly. When you sat next to me the other day I just…noticed that you didn't hate me anymore. You're eyes…they weren't the same. They are sincere, nothing like before. And I never hated you. I hated that you hated me for no reason. No real reason anyway." She trailed off but then suddenly held out her hand.

"I want to start over. So. I'm Hermione Granger." She had this sardonic grin on her face that caused him to smile as he took her hand. Her ridiculously soft hand.

"Draco Malfoy."

"See you tomorrow, _Draco_." Her emphasis on his first name shocked him as he had never heard her say it. He decided he liked when she said it. He liked when she said anything and it was growing into a problem. He couldn't…like her. But then he thought to himself, why not? His father was dead and his mother in Paris for the year. She opened a back account for him, changed the wards in the house to answer to him, and then left. He was alone, she didn't even write. So maybe that was the real reason. He was lonely.

But that was really it. It was her. Her stupid pretty face and stupid brown eyes and definitely her stupid, _stupid_ smile. Draco was proud those were his reasons and nothing close to her blood crossed his mind. He was truly cured of that ridiculous theory he once believed. But she wouldn't even consider him though she seemed to like him well enough.

He couldn't believe he was thinking about this so seriously. It wasn't like anything would ever happen. No way, ever.

He gathered up his things and set off for the great hall. He was starving, as it was nearing six.

"You do not own me, Ronald. You better remember that." He heard her voice clear as day, and saw her talking heatedly with Weasley.

"Five people said they saw you with him, Hermione. Five! I just don't understand why you would go anywhere with him. He's disgusting and he's a death-

Granger's hand crossed Weasley's face so hard he was knocked into the wall. He would never piss her off, ever. For a split second Draco saw Weasley's fist clench and anger boiled in him. If he hit her he didn't know what he'd do. Maybe he did.

"I'll repeat it so you can understand better. You do not fucking own me. I can do whatever the fuck I want. If I want to talk to him, I will, if I want to sit with him, I will and if I want to _fucking_ be friends with him I WILL! Got it?" She said, her voice seriously cold. But his heart felt lighter. She was talking about him.

"I don't know who you are anymore. I'll go but this isn't over Hermione." He was talking softly and his cheek had a handprint on it. He didn't listen very well.

Draco turned and fled and went the opposite way to the great hall. But he couldn't get what he heard and saw out of his mind. Was Granger that serious about being his friend? It seemed like she was.

Sunday morning came early for him and his heart did a jump when he remembered he was meetin Granger. He told himself to calm down, it wasn't a big deal. But it really was. He liked her and seeing her all fired up yesterday intrigued him. She wasn't just some girl.

She was already there, pacing around their table. Draco guess it was their table now.

"I have no idea what to do." She said, her eyes wide with anxiety. He got caught up them before he answered.

"Well….shit, I don't know. What's something we haven't covered this year? Something that might not be covered at all?" He suggested and he eyes lit up beautifully.

"What if we plot out a whole family? Grandparents down."

He sat down next to her, "Yes! We can show how each number works with the others in the family. Should we use mine, we can go back even further?" She smiled and he loved her smile.

"I knew you were there, by the way." She said calmly, pulling out her notebook.

Of course she had. "I was-

"You're fine. I just want you to know I'm not some pawn of theirs. Harry isn't as bad as Ron but the two of them think they can tell me what to do! I'm not a child, you know."

"I know." He answered quickly. She laughed lightly, holding her hand to her mouth.

"It's okay, that's all I meant. That you heard me…I was afraid there for a second he might explode after I hit him. I was just so fed up you know."

While she talked she set out the plot to include great great grandparents down to Draco. He listened to every word, drinking up her voice. It was a nice voice. Merlin he had a huge problem.

"Draco?" She called for the second time.

"Yeah, sorry."

He forced himself to remember she wouldn't ever take him and they worked the rest of the day getting almost the whole plot done with.

His things were almost packed when her hand caught his.

"You know, in first year I thought you were the cutest boy I'd ever seen. When you were mean to me it really hurt my feelings and I hated that. But then in third year I realized what was going on in the world and your place in it. You couldn't go against your family and maybe you shouldn't have to. When Harry hurt you in 6th year I felt nothing but worry for you because I cared. Then just a few days ago you looked at me like a person, not a thing. And I want to know, how do you see me now, Draco?"

Draco smiled, shocked by her brazen words, but happy to hear them.

"I see you as Hermione Granger."

Hermione tightened her hold on his hand and stepped closer.

"Is that the only way you see me?" She was grinning.

"Maybe." He answered, enjoying the game.

But she ended it by reaching up and kissing him fully on his lips and he wrapped his arms around her and it felt natural to hold her. She fit perfectly there and he wondered for a moment if this was real. But her lips on his left no room for doubt.

"What in the bloody hell!" Hermione pulled away to see Ron holding a book, staring open mouthed at the two of them.

"Ron, don't start. I can do what I want. With who I want."

Those words sound particularly nice but he decided he shouldn't smirk. Weasley threw down the book and stormed off muttering about Potter.

"Well I need to deal with this. I'll see you in class tomorrow."

He was mid nod when she kissed him again, once twice and then she was rushing out of the room leaving him standing there.

To think all he had to do was ask her to move so he could see. Then he would get everything he wanted. He wanted her and tomorrow would be another day to earn it. He hoped she never stopped seeing him in this light. Merlin knows the light he saw her in.


End file.
